1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to illumination, and more particularly to support of light sources for lamps.
2. Background Information
A lamp is generally viewed as a piece of furniture holding one or more electric light bulbs. The electric light bulbs operate as an artificial source of visible illumination. Most table lamps vertically support light sources by employing a vase having a light bulb in a socket and a harp that supports a lamp shade about the light bulb. Other types of lamps such as floor lamps employ a pole or post having adjustable ball and socket light supports attached to the pole. The benefit of such table or floor lamps is that they may be quickly located and installed in one place or another. The problem with such lamps is that the vertical height of each light source on the lamp is fixed by the manufacturer.
Some light sources are supported by line-wire or cable. For example, holiday lights include a series of light bulbs coupled to a flexible wire that is horizontally strung to the eaves of a roof. This allows a user to adjust the vertical height of each light source on the lamp. For example, the string of lights may be suspended from the ceiling of a home. The benefit of flexible line-wire lamps is that the vertical position of each light source may be controlled by the consumer. However, line-wire lamps lack the locational flexibility of table and floor lamps. Thus, what is needed are light sources that include the locational flexibility of table and floor lamps as well as the vertical height adjustibility of line-wire lamps.